276 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA^ 



[NO. 27. 



May 30 and 31 ; and saw seA^^eral birds on Great Slave Lake near Stone 

 Island, July 11. We did not note the species again until Ave were 

 ascending the Athabaska on our return, w^hen we saw a number of 

 individuals near the mouth of Big Mouth Brook, August 26. 



The Hudson's Bay Company museum at Fort Simpson contains a 

 specimen said to have been taken at Fort Providence several years 

 since. An alleged specimen taken by Russell near Fort Rae * has 

 been examined and proves referable to M. serrator. 



Mergus serrator Linn. Eed-breasted Merganser. 



This species breeds throughout the region north to the tree limit. 

 In 1901 it was positively identified but once, near the north shore 

 of Great Slave Lake, at the mouth of the Northern Arm, where a 

 female was shot July 15. 



In 1903 we noted the species at Edmonton, Alberta, May 8 ; on the 

 Athabaska, below Grand Rapid, May 25 and 26 ; and on the loAver 

 Athabaska on May 29, 30, and 31. We next observed it on Great 

 Slave Lake, AAdiere it was frequently seen betAveen Fort Resolution 

 and Fort Rae, July 17 to 29. During my trip northAvard from Fort 

 Rae I obserA^ed the bird on Lake Hardisty on August 16 and IT, and 

 a few miles south of MacTavish Bay, August 21, Avhen a female, Avith 

 young about a Aveek old, Avas obserA^ed. While traveling along the 

 south shore of Great Bear Lake I found the species common, noting 

 it nearly every day, August 28 to September .17, and taking one 

 near Manito Islands, September 15. AVhile encamped at Fort Frank- 

 lin, September 18 to 27, I observed it on several occasions, and Avhile 

 ascending the Mackenzie noted it near Blackwater RiA^er, October 7 ; 

 a few miles above there, October 8; at Roche Trempe-l'eau, October 

 9; and above Nahanni River, October 15 and 16. 



In the spring of 1904 I first observed this species at Fort Simpson 

 on May 19, though it had doubtless arrived earlier. While descend- 

 ing the Mackenzie I obserA^ed it near Roche Trempe-l'eau, June 8 ; 

 near Fort Norman, June 10; near Sans Sault Rapid, June 19; near 

 the Ramparts, June 20 ; and on the lower Mackenzie and Peel rivers, 

 June 30 and July 1. On my return trip I saAv a few on the Mackenzie 

 near Roche Trempe-l'eau, July 22. 



Ross notes this species as being found commonly north to Peel 

 River, and as having been collected at Fort Simpson ; ^ MacFarlane 

 collected several sets of eggs in the Adcinity of Fort Anderson and 

 on the border of the ' Barrens ' to the eastward of that post.*^ Speci- 

 mens were received by the Smithsonian Institution from Fort Reso- 

 lution, Fort Rae, Big Island, Fort Simpson, and Peel River. Seton 



Expl. in Far North, p. 256, 1898. 

 ^Nat. Hist. Rev., II (second ser.), p. 289, 1862. 

 ^ Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIV, p. 419, 1891. 



